The Motorsport Files

Hosted by Drew Bentham, Zac Stanley & Chris Gilbertson, new episodes land every week covering Formula 1, BTCC, WRC, ERC and British rally and racing - race weekend reviews alongside in-depth conversations with the drivers, co-drivers and rising talent living it. Expect genuine human stories over lap times and standings, including an ongoing commitment to spotlighting the women shaping motorsport at every level. Whether you've followed the sport for decades or you're just discovering it, follow along so you never miss an episode.

The Motorsport Files is a leisure podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 27 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Motorsport Files, a leisure show with 27 episodes published.

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  Episode #27

  Did the WRC crews learn anything from this years BRC Grampian Rally? | Ep27

  Aug 10, 202619 minS1

  Jon Armstrong won the 2026 Grampian Forest Rally as WRC stars descended on Aberdeenshire to get an early look at the roads that could feature in Rally Scotland 2027. Drew and Chris look back at a fascinating weekend of rallying, with Armstrong and Shane Byrne taking overall victory in the Ford Fiesta Rally2 ahead of team-mate Romet Jürgenson. Nikolay Gryazin completed the overall podium for Lancia, while Osian Pryce took the British Rally Championship victory and extended his championship lead. The Grampian was also an important fact-finding exercise for the World Rally Championship. Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin brought a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to Scotland, while the event gave several WRC and WRC2 crews their first proper look at roads that could form part of Rally Scotland when the WRC returns to Scotland in 2027. The episode also covers Max McRae's impressive pace, including an outright stage win against the visiting WRC drivers, the battle between Pryce and Meirion Evans, Lancia's return to British rallying and what the performance of the Rally2 cars could mean for the future. Drew and Chris also discuss the bigger problems facing the British Rally Championship, including the lack of live coverage, the small BRC field and what needs to change if the championship is going to attract more attention. Was Grampian a glimpse of what British rallying could look like in 2027? Listen to the latest episode of The Motorsport Files. WEBSITE https://www.themotorsportfiles.com/ INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/tmfpod23/ YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/@tmfpod23/

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  Episode #26

  Rally Finland 2026: Pajari's Home Win and Ogier's Horrific Crash

  Aug 8, 202658 minS1

  Sami Pajari delivers Finland's 200th WRC win. Sebastien Ogier crashes out of the lead and ends up in hospital. Elfyn Evans leaves Rally Finland with an even bigger championship lead than he arrived with. Drew is joined by Chris Gilbertson to unpack the wildest weekend of the WRC season so far, from torrential rain and misted windscreens on Friday to a terrifying high speed crash for Ogier on Saturday evening. They talk through Pajari's rise from quiet, consistent podium finisher to genuine title contender, why Evans looks like a different driver in 2026, and the extraordinary effort from Finnish fans who kept pulling cars out of ditches all weekend. There's also time for Esapekka Lappi's big accident and what it means for his future in the car, Adrien Fourmaux's tough season in a Hyundai that only seems to work on dry gravel, a controversial WRC2 penalty that decided the podium behind an unstoppable Robert Vervis, and a first look at what the newly confirmed sale of the WRC promoter could mean for the championship going forward. Follow The Motorsport Files so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this one, a quick rating on Apple Podcasts or a follow on Spotify genuinely helps new listeners find the show. Find us everywhere @tmfpod23 and at www.themotorsportfiles.com .

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  Episode #25

  BTCC Thruxton 2026 Review: Sutton's Masterclass and Race 3 Chaos | Ep25

  Aug 4, 202633 minS1

  Ash Sutton, Tom Ingram and a chaotic Race 3 Drew and Chris break down every BTCC race from Thruxton, plus the driver news shaking up the grid. The British Touring Car Championship returned from its summer break with three races at Thruxton, and this week's Motorsport Files covers all of it: Josh Cook's dominant Race 1 win as the reigning "King of Thruxton," Ash Sutton's Race 2 masterclass, and a Race 3 thrown into chaos by a lengthy safety car and six retirements. Drew and Chris also get into the driver market: Ryan Bensley stepping in for Max Buxton at Speedworks Motorsport, Lewis Gilbert's BTCC debut with WSR, Senna Proctor covering for an unwell Sam Osborne at NAPA Racing UK, Nick Halstead's return for Power Maxed Racing's first-ever four-car line-up, and the funding crisis threatening to end Ricky Collard's season at EXCELR8 Motorsport. Plus: James Dorlin's independents' title push, how Jason Plato's new Cataclean Plato Racing squad is settling in, a debate over Thruxton's track-limits penalties, and BTCC chief Alan Gow's news that the series is staying free-to-air on ITV through 2030 with no return to hybrid power. If you're enjoying the show, a quick rating on Apple Podcasts is the single best way to help new listeners find us and let us know in a review who you think is the standout of the season so far.

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  Episode #24

  Hungarian GP Review: What happened in the Hungarian Grand Prix? | Ep23

  Jul 30, 202656 minS1

  The Hungarian Grand Prix delivered one of the biggest talking points of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Lando Norris claimed McLaren's first victory of the year, Oscar Piastri's race ended in heartbreak after contact with Carlos Sainz and a gearbox failure, and Toto Wolff's criticism of Formula 1's blue flag system dominated the headlines. In this episode of The Motorsport Files , Drew Bentham and Zac Stanley break down everything that mattered from Budapest. Was McLaren's performance the result of a genuine breakthrough or simply a circuit that suited the MCL40? Should Carlos Sainz shoulder the blame for the collision with Piastri, or did Formula 1's race control create the conditions for the incident? The team also discuss Lewis Hamilton's latest penalty, Max Verstappen's recovery drive, Kimi Antonelli extending his championship lead, Ferrari's continued execution issues and Aston Martin's encouraging progress before the summer break. The conversation also looks ahead to the Dutch Grand Prix, asking whether Hungary has changed the balance of power heading into the second half of the season. Whether you're following the championship battle, searching for the latest Formula 1 news or looking for an in-depth Hungarian GP review, this episode covers the biggest stories from one of the most dramatic weekends of the year. In this episode Lando Norris secures McLaren's first win of 2026 Oscar Piastri's collision with Carlos Sainz and subsequent retirement Toto Wolff's reaction to the blue flag controversy Lewis Hamilton's penalty and Ferrari's missed opportunity Max Verstappen's recovery drive Kimi Antonelli strengthens his championship lead Aston Martin's latest upgrades What Hungary means for the Dutch Grand Prix and the title fight Chapters 0:00.47 – Race Recap and McLaren's Surprising Comeback 1:55.47 – Team Performance and Strategy Analysis 4:00.47 – Regulation Changes and Their Impact 6:09.47 – Driver Performances and Internal Team Dynamics 8:08.47 – Reliability Issues and Technical Upgrades 9:57.47 – Race Management and Blue Flag Chaos 11:50.47 – Season Predictions and Future Outlooks Listen to every episode at themotorsportfiles.com . Hosted by Drew Bentham and Zac Stanley.

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  Episode #23

  Belgian GP: Antonelli Wins, Hamilton-Russell Crash, Ferrari's Pit Chaos Ep23

  Jul 24, 202648 minS1

  Kimi Antonelli beat Charles Leclerc to the win at Spa-Francorchamps, but it's the first-lap Hamilton-Russell crash and a chaotic Ferrari pit stop that Drew and Zac can't stop talking about. In this episode, Drew and Zac discuss the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix lap by lap. Antonelli's pole-to-win drive, Max Verstappen's early Eau Rouge lunge, and the Turn 6 collision that put George Russell out on lap one and reshaped the championship. They dig into whether Lewis Hamilton's penalty was fair, unpack Ferrari's pit lane mistakes (including Hamilton making contact with a mechanic), and debate why Zac thinks it was "a simple error" while Drew calls it "old school Ferrari" all over again. They also cover: Why George Russell's retirement stretched Antonelli's championship lead to 45 points Isack Hadjar's recovery drive from the back of the grid to P6 Lando Norris setting the fastest lap after starting 13th The stewards' verdict on the Hamilton-Russell incident and Ferrari's €30,000 team fine Whether F1 "should be about maximum driving, not energy management" — Drew's mid-episode rant on battery deployment A first look ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix and whether Antonelli can keep his run going before the summer break Whether you're searching for what happened between Hamilton and Russell at Spa, why Hamilton wasn't penalised further, or just want the full Belgian GP results and standings breakdown, this episode has it. Follow the show at @tmfpod23 or subscribe for free at http://www.themotorsportfiles.com — it helps us grow the show, Thanks

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